Clive Cussler Books List in Chronological Order

Clive Eric Cussler (July 15, 1931 – February 24, 2020) was an American novelist, marine explorer, and founder of the real-life National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) — a name fans will recognize from his fictional universe. Widely regarded as the “Grandmaster of Adventure,” Cussler spent over four decades crafting stories filled with high-stakes missions, historical mysteries, lost treasures, and cutting-edge technology. Clive Cussler books have his signature blend of real-world science and imaginative storytelling turned him into one of the most beloved adventure writers of the 20th and early 21st centuries.

Before becoming a bestselling author, Cussler served in the U.S. Air Force and worked in advertising. His background in creativity and precision came through in his novels, which read like cinematic thrill rides. Many of his plots revolve around shipwrecks, lost civilizations, and daring rescues — all brought to life by charismatic heroes like Dirk Pitt, Kurt Austin, Juan Cabrillo, and Isaac Bell. Beyond fiction, he was also a passionate maritime explorer who personally led expeditions that uncovered more than 60 historical shipwrecks, bridging the gap between imagination and reality.

List of Clive Cussler Books in Chronological Order

Clive Cussler did his books in conjunction with other writers. He did his own books at the beginning but later teamed up with other writers to do other series’. Below is a detailed list of all his books.

DIRK PITT ADVENTURES

(Cussler’s original and most famous series, featuring oceanographer and adventurer Dirk Pitt.)

1. The Mediterranean Caper (1973)
2. Iceberg (1975)
3. Raise the Titanic! (1976)
4. Vixen 03 (1978)
5. Night Probe! (1981)
6. Pacific Vortex! (1983)
7. Deep Six (1984)
8. Cyclops (1986)
9. Treasure (1988)
10. Dragon (1990)
11. Sahara (1992)
12. Inca Gold (1994)
13. Shock Wave (1996)
14. Flood Tide (1997)
15. Atlantis Found (1999)
16. Valhalla Rising (2001)
17. Trojan Odyssey (2003)
18. Black Wind (2004) – with Dirk Cussler
19. Treasure of Khan (2006) – with Dirk Cussler
20. Arctic Drift (2008) – with Dirk Cussler
21. Crescent Dawn (2010) – with Dirk Cussler
22. Poseidon’s Arrow (2012) – with Dirk Cussler
23. Havana Storm (2014) – with Dirk Cussler
24. Odessa Sea (2016) – with Dirk Cussler
25. Celtic Empire (2019) – with Dirk Cussler

THE NUMA FILES

(Starring Kurt Austin, a NUMA Special Projects leader and colleague of Dirk Pitt.)

1. Serpent (1999) – with Paul Kemprecos
2. Blue Gold (2000) – with Paul Kemprecos
3. Fire Ice (2002) – with Paul Kemprecos
4. White Death (2003) – with Paul Kemprecos
5. Lost City (2004) – with Paul Kemprecos
6. Polar Shift (2005) – with Paul Kemprecos
7. The Navigator (2007) – with Paul Kemprecos
8. Medusa (2009) – with Paul Kemprecos
9. Devil’s Gate (2011) – with Graham Brown
10. The Storm (2012) – with Graham Brown
11. Zero Hour (2013) – with Graham Brown
12. Ghost Ship (2014) – with Graham Brown
13. The Pharaoh’s Secret (2015) – with Graham Brown
14. Nighthawk (2017) – with Graham Brown
15. The Rising Sea (2018) – with Graham Brown
16. Sea of Greed (2018) – with Graham Brown
17. Journey of the Pharaohs (2020) – with Graham Brown
18. Fast Ice (2021) – with Graham Brown (posthumous)

THE OREGON FILES

(Follows Juan Cabrillo and his high-tech mercenary crew aboard the disguised ship Oregon.)

1. Golden Buddha (2003) – with Craig Dirgo
2. Sacred Stone (2004) – with Craig Dirgo
3. Dark Watch (2005) – with Jack Du Brul
4. Skeleton Coast (2006) – with Jack Du Brul
5. Plague Ship (2008) – with Jack Du Brul
6. Corsair (2009) – with Jack Du Brul
7. The Silent Sea (2010) – with Jack Du Brul
8. The Jungle (2011) – with Jack Du Brul
9. Mirage (2013) – with Jack Du Brul
10. Piranha (2015) – with Boyd Morrison
11. The Emperor’s Revenge (2016) – with Boyd Morrison
12. Typhoon Fury (2017) – with Boyd Morrison
13. Shadow Tyrants (2018) – with Boyd Morrison
14. Final Option (2019) – with Boyd Morrison
15. Marauder (2020) – with Boyd Morrison

ISAAC BELL ADVENTURES

(Historical thrillers set in early 20th-century America, starring Van Dorn detective Isaac Bell.)

1. The Chase (2007)
2. The Wrecker (2009) – with Justin Scott
3. The Spy (2010) – with Justin Scott
4. The Race (2011) – with Justin Scott
5. The Thief (2012) – with Justin Scott
6. The Striker (2013) – with Justin Scott
7. The Bootlegger (2014) – with Justin Scott
8. The Assassin (2015) – with Justin Scott
9. The Gangster (2016) – with Justin Scott
10. The Cutthroat (2017) – with Justin Scott
11. The Titanic Secret (2019) – with Jack Du Brul
12. The Saboteurs (2021) – with Jack Du Brul (posthumous)

SAM & REMI FARGO ADVENTURES

(Husband-and-wife archaeologists and treasure hunters uncovering lost relics.)

1. Spartan Gold (2009) – with Grant Blackwood
2. Lost Empire (2010) – with Grant Blackwood
3. The Kingdom (2011) – with Grant Blackwood
4. The Tombs (2012) – with Thomas Perry
5. The Mayan Secrets (2013) – with Thomas Perry
6. The Eye of Heaven (2014) – with Russell Blake
7. The Solomon Curse (2015) – with Russell Blake
8. Pirate (2016) – with Robin Burcell
9. The Romanov Ransom (2017) – with Robin Burcell
10. The Gray Ghost (2018) – with Robin Burcell
11. The Oracle (2019) – with Robin Burcell
12. Wrath of Poseidon (2020) – with Robin Burcell

NON-FICTION & OTHER WORKS By Clive Cussler

(Cussler’s real-life adventures and passion projects.)

1. The Sea Hunters: True Adventures with Famous Shipwrecks (1996)
2. The Sea Hunters II (2002)
3. Built for Adventure: The Classic Automobiles of Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt (2011)
4. Built to Thrill: More Classic Automobiles from Clive Cussler and Dirk Pitt (2016)

Where to Find Clive Cussler Books

If you’d like to explore or collect Clive Cussler’s works:

• Browse Used Fiction Books at Books Point Kenya – Find pocket-size, hardcover, and large-print editions of Clive Cussler novels at affordable prices.
• View Clive Cussler Titles on Amazon – Discover Kindle, paperback, and collector’s editions from all his major series, including Dirk Pitt and The Oregon Files.
• About the Author – Learn more about Clive Cussler’s life, real-world discoveries, and his contribution to adventure fiction through exploration and storytelling.

You may also like our other:

• Author Book Lists
• Book Summaries

In Summary

Clive Cussler’s storytelling legacy is unmatched in the modern adventure genre. From Dirk Pitt’s globe-trotting missions to the historical intrigue of Isaac Bell and the treasure-hunting escapades of the Fargos, his works span centuries, continents, and genres — all unified by one theme: the thrill of discovery. His novels combine technical realism with old-fashioned heroism, drawing readers into worlds where the sea keeps its secrets — until a Cussler hero comes calling.

Beyond fiction, Cussler’s real-world achievements mirrored the spirit of his stories. Through NUMA, he led marine expeditions that discovered more than 60 shipwrecks, including the legendary Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley. He turned his passion for exploration into tangible contributions to maritime history, ensuring that his adventures lived both on and off the page.

Today, his co-authors — including his son Dirk Cussler, Graham Brown, Robin Burcell, and others — continue to write under his name, keeping alive the tradition of action, courage, and ingenuity that defined his career.